Re: New garden struggling

yolos 3/12/2017, 12:01 pm

reynajrainwater wrote:I'm definitely not an expert but while reading this thread I remembered that my vegetable fertilizer states that if you apply the fertilizer when you sow the seeds, the germination rate may decrease. I'm not sure if that's the case with all fertilizers.

I don't know about all plants, but an old time corn farmer said that synthetic nitrogen, if applied at planting and not buried deep enough, can impede germination. I don't know about organic nitrogen though.

**sanderson** 3/12/2017, 6:50 pm

RC, Handsome avatar! I think your gardening is looking good.

Jimmy, Compost rules!

has55 3/13/2017, 5:31 am

jimmy cee wrote:
reynajrainwater wrote:I'm definitely not an expert but while reading this thread I remembered that my vegetable fertilizer states that if you apply the fertilizer when you sow the seeds, the germination rate may decrease. I'm not sure if that's the case with all fertilizers.
I never fertilize my seedlings. Seeds have a built in fertilizer that starts them.
Since I use Mel's Mix for seeds, when I do feel like adding nutrients all I do is add a 10% solution of fish emulsion.
This has been working great for me for 2 seasons, both spring and summer plantings.
By the way, I am far from an expert, all I ever do is offer my experiences in doing, and what info I read..
Reading the 3 books above has made a huge change in my gardening outlook, and for the better I might add.

You're in my area. I would not ad anything or disturbed the soil if possible. I'm surprise you have squach growing now. That's awesome!!!
I agree with Jimmie Cee. I would add microbe biology to your beds by simply adding compost tea. Extremely cheap. easy and will add a great boast in plant growth. Jimmy Cee has some great picture. the books are great. Last year I did a thread asking for help on one of my beds. I started adding the compost tea and the microbes release the nutrient and the plants did well and even went farther than expected in the heat for cool weather plants. . I finally had the soil tested as Camprn and other suggested using the Arkansas state lab for10.00. the results showed my soil was high in everything except nitrogen. the I also had my soil tested by Dr. Elaine Ingham for microbiology which showed I was doing well with everything except beneficial nematodes. she told me how to increase them for almost nothing, instead of paying big bucks from the companies that sell beneficial insects and nematodes. Here's the thread by Jimmy Cee and the one I did, if you like to read. I also encourage you to add a worm tube or vermicompost bucket to have the earthworm working free for you. It simple and they will make free fertilizer.
Microbes...you gotta see this one !!!

Worm Tube for the SFG-where it all begin by Mr. Josh. You'll learn a lot here. Josh is now an adult.

Earthworms Vermicompost: A Powerful Crop Nutrient-go near the bottom of the page and you will see my pictures of my vermicomposting buckets. it will be the 18th posting.

soil testing- this is the I started on inquiring how to do soil testing. Camprn and Snaderson abd others were very helpful in building up my faith to do it. It will have their soil testing results and mine.

Free Soil Testing in Arkansas- it cost 10.00 for non Arkansas people. Our soil is soiless media.

RC3291 3/13/2017, 10:36 am

Thanks for the links. I did forget that I added worm castings also when I amended about half the bed with the peat and vermiculite. There is a worm ranch almost around the corner from my house. Fresh castings are reasonable when I can pick them up instead of shipping them. They also offer a "worm wine"( organic vermicompost tea). Haven't tried it yet but sounds like the thing to do. Also when I dug up the unplanted sections to amend them there were a few worms already in each square foot of the bed. I'll send the soils sample off and have it analyzed. I had read where Texas A&M was not recommended to do the testing so never sent a sample off. I took a chance on the weather since it has been so warm this winter and got some things planted. I thinking now about a drip irrigation system either made from PVC or a commercially produced system. Have to plan it out and decide.

has55 3/13/2017, 11:15 pm

RC3291 wrote:Thanks for the links. I did forget that I added worm castings also when I amended about half the bed with the peat and vermiculite. There is a worm ranch almost around the corner from my house. Fresh castings are reasonable when I can pick them up instead of shipping them. They also offer a "worm wine"( organic vermicompost tea). Haven't tried it yet but sounds like the thing to do. Also when I dug up the unplanted sections to amend them there were a few worms already in each square foot of the bed. I'll send the soils sample off and have it analyzed. I had read where Texas A&M was not recommended to do the testing so never sent a sample off. I took a chance on the weather since it has been so warm this winter and got some things planted. I thinking now about a drip irrigation system either made from PVC or a commercially produced system. Have to plan it out and decide.

[url=/u29828]RC3291[/url]. it sounds like you're near Tx worm ranch run by heather Rinaldi. A great person and friend.
dirt doctor doesn't recommend any state labs for testing anymore. he said their procedure is wrong for organic gardening. He recommends TPS Lab for texas, but it expensive, at least to me.
I planted these plants on 2/11/17. this picture was taken on 3/10/17 I;m using city water can see a different in my cool weather crops growth. In the spring my irrigation will be back on and the water will be filtered to maintain high biological activity. I could have use an inline water hose filter this winter but too lazy to purchased one.
on the two new beds I will add coffee, some earthworm compost from my worm buckets and top it with compost after the plants get larger.

fall winter crop. some going to seed. filtered water in fall till winter, then city unfiltered water when I cut the irrigation off.

CapeCoddess 3/14/2017, 1:47 pm

Yummy looking greens!
drooling

I, too, notice a difference between city/hose water and bucket water on my garden. So I did finally get an inline filter but the hose water here is still VERY cold all year. Not much I can do about that I guess. I may go back to buckets once my hip is replaced this April.
CC

has55 3/14/2017, 2:43 pm

[url=/u29828]RC3291[/url] this is a copy of my soil testing by the state of ARKANSAS.
The members encourage soil testing. It has been helpful for me, but I admit it took time for that leap of faith. I thank them for the encouragement.

Austin,

This report has the Organic Matter listed under the soil properties. The soil texture came back as Sandy Loam. Below are the readings in percentages.

39.6 % Sand
18.7 % Silt
15.7 % Clay

[size=12]Enlarge this image
New garden struggling - Page 2 Soil_t10

Enlarge this image
New garden struggling - Page 2 Soil_t11

Enlarge this image
New garden struggling - Page 2 Spinac10

[/size]

has55 3/14/2017, 3:00 pm

this is where I did the testing for microbiological life in the soil by Dr. Elaine Ingham lab. Invaluable. since I don't use a microscope, I had to pay for the services. she now has the free youtube video showing how to check and measure for microbiology life. I have viewed them, but not purchased a microscope. Heather, owner of texas worm farm uses a microscope to check levels of microbes in her worm beds. I'm going to ask her if she will teach a class. I have been to some of her classes since they are local.
I copy this from the soil testing thread.

AT THE VERY BOTTOM YOU'LL SEE HOW I INCREASE MY BENEFICIAL NEMATODES FOR PENNIES. IN OTHER WORDS THE MATERIAL I USED BOUGHT IN BULK WILL GO A LONGGGGG WAY. THE NEMATODES WILL TAKE OUT THE UNDERGROUND PEST FOR YOU FREE.

This report is from the soil food web and test done by Dr. Ingham. Looking at the soil food web. I have some work to do, but I'm on the right path. which is a great relief.'But this explains why my plants seem to have struggled at first, then kick into high gear, because I had disturbed the soil greatly. this happens the first time I raised the beds when I started this thread. These results are for the current situation that I explained above. Hopefully, I learned some new stuff when the soil food web and interplanting plants, when I attend Heather Rinaldi class Thursday.

Enlarge this image
New garden struggling - Page 2 Austin15

Enlarge this image below is info on how to increase your beneficial nematodes and fungal growth
New garden struggling - Page 2 Austin14

Enlarge this image
New garden struggling - Page 2 Austin13

________

has55 3/14/2017, 3:10 pm

RC3291, this is a great example of the importance of the soil life. I took this from Sanderson recent post on Mel mix. If you have these types of quality compost (rabbit poo, cow, veggies, horse, leaf, all aged)it's full of microbe life, but if you have to buy from the commercial stores like lowes, the compost usually is sterile (no life), but full of nutrients. I had to buy from lowes. but it got started on the path.

Re: New square foot gardening mix?

sanderson Today at 1:47 pm

Hi Catalina, Welcome to the Forum from California! New garden struggling - Page 2 396615

Using the Search Box, I found 81 threads on Mel's Mix that you can browse. Basically, Mel omitted the 6" of dirt from his New SFG, leaving just 6" of Mel's Mix. Mel's Mix is composed of 3 equal parts, one part of vermiculite, one part of fluffed peat moss and one part of quality compost. The quality compost should be a blend of 5 types of compost. What types of compost can you find in your area? Aged horse manure is one example. Llama or rabbit pooh pellets another. Veggie compost. Aged, broken down moldy leaves.

In your area, if you can't get vermiculite, perlite could be used. No peat moss? Washed coconut coir can be used.

CapeCoddess 3/14/2017, 3:21 pm

has55 wrote:If you have these types of quality compost (rabbit poo, cow, veggies, horse, leaf, all aged)it's full of microbe life, but if you have to buy from the commercial stores like lowes, the compost usually is sterile (no life), but full of nutrients. I had to buy from lowes. but it got started on the path.[/b]

Good to know, has55. Thanks. I don't use manures except from the wild so don't have access to much.

yolos 3/14/2017, 4:37 pm

CapeCoddess wrote:
has55 wrote:If you have these types of quality compost (rabbit poo, cow, veggies, horse, leaf, all aged)it's full of microbe life, but if you have to buy from the commercial stores like lowes, the compost usually is sterile (no life), but full of nutrients. I had to buy from lowes. but it got started on the path.[/b]

Good to know, has55. Thanks. I don't use manures except from the wild so don't have access to much.

And it is my understanding, unless you have your mix full of microbe life, the organic compost cannot be broken down into nutrients usable by the plants or it takes a good long time. So, in the first year it is sometimes necessary to use actual fertilizers. But, I am not sure how accurate a statement this is. It is just what I read in a few forums.

**RoOsTeR** 3/14/2017, 8:52 pm

Give it time. I'd let your garden tell you what it needs. So far, other than some poor seed sprouting, there is no evidence (that I've seen) that your garden is struggling.
If you'd like to add anything, you usually can't go wrong with good, quality composts.
If you start adding elixers and feel goods and everything else, you'll have no baseline and could start compounding problems.
Stick to the basics.

**sanderson** 3/15/2017, 3:00 am

RC, I went back and looked at your photos posted March 11. Everything looks fine. As you used something besides Mel's Mix, you may have different results. I agree with Rooster. Just be patient. If you build another bed, you can make Mel's Mix. For this bed, just add COMPOST when the level drops. Compost is the most important thing for plants, as it feeds the microbes that release the nutrients for the plant to use.

RC3291 3/15/2017, 5:24 pm

That could make an interesting comparison. Side by side in the yard, one soil mix next to a MM. plant the same crops with the same seeds, etc. Maybe for my fall crop.

**Scorpio Rising** 3/15/2017, 9:52 pm

RC3291 wrote:That could make an interesting comparison. Side by side in the yard, one soil mix next to a MM. plant the same crops with the same seeds, etc. Maybe for my fall crop.

FUN!

has55 3/17/2017, 11:07 am

Scorpio Rising wrote:
RC3291 wrote:That could make an interesting comparison. Side by side in the yard, one soil mix next to a MM. plant the same crops with the same seeds, etc. Maybe for my fall crop.
FUN!

good idea.

has55 3/17/2017, 11:09 am

update pictures of two of my 2nd planting of cool weather crops that I posted earlier.

New garden struggling - Page 2 Vegeta11

RC3291 3/17/2017, 2:50 pm

Looking good there. Mine's coming along. My Mesclun bucket "chia pet" is growing like crazy. Lettuce in the garden is growing some now. Second round of radishes and all my squash and zucchihi has sprouted and a few extras too. Ordered a drip system, should be here middle of next week. Only thing bugging me is my swiss chard isn't doing much. One out of my sixteen has started growing true leaves. Others are about an inch tall after a month.

has55 3/18/2017, 11:34 am

RC3291 wrote:Looking good there. Mine's coming along. My Mesclun bucket "chia pet" is growing like crazy. Lettuce in the garden is growing some now. Second round of radishes and all my squash and zucchihi has sprouted and a few extras too. Ordered a drip system, should be here middle of next week. Only thing bugging me is my swiss chard isn't doing much. One out of my sixteen has started growing true leaves. Others are about an inch tall after a month.

sounds like your garden is kicking in, which is great. when you get a chance put up some pictures.

you wrote-Only thing bugging me is my swiss chard isn't doing much. One out of my sixteen has started growing true leaves. Others are about an inch tall after a month.

Wow, I never have seen that happen. Has anyone else experienced this challenge when swiss chard is starting out from seed?

RC3291 3/18/2017, 2:05 pm

Here's a few pics from yesterday. Don't let the monster chard plant scare you. New garden struggling - Page 2 Img_0316

**sanderson** 3/18/2017, 2:31 pm

RC3291 wrote:Here's a few pics from yesterday. Don't let the monster chard plant scare you. . .

We all can relate to "monsters." Last year I had a dwarf tomato plant for months! About 12" tall.

CapeCoddess 3/18/2017, 5:14 pm

has55 wrote:
RC3291 wrote:Looking good there. Mine's coming along. My Mesclun bucket "chia pet" is growing like crazy. Lettuce in the garden is growing some now. Second round of radishes and all my squash and zucchihi has sprouted and a few extras too. Ordered a drip system, should be here middle of next week. Only thing bugging me is my swiss chard isn't doing much. One out of my sixteen has started growing true leaves. Others are about an inch tall after a month.
sounds like your garden is kicking in, which is great. when you get a chance put up some pictures.

you wrote-Only thing bugging me is my swiss chard isn't doing much. One out of my sixteen has started growing true leaves. Others are about an inch tall after a month.

Wow, I never have seen that happen. Has anyone else experienced this challenge when swiss chard is starting out from seed?

I found that chard can be very fickle, especially as the seeds get older. You just never know when it's going to do what it's supposed to do. I just plant it and let it be and hope for the best. I've had some planted seeds on the heat pad now for a week today and there's still no signs of it.
Plant a bunch and when it"s good and ready you'll get some.
CC

has55 3/18/2017, 11:28 pm

your garden looks great. awesome!!!

Sponsored content


	Hello Guest! Welcome to the official Square Foot Gardening Forum. There's lots to learn here by reading as a guest. However, if you become a member (it's free, ad free and spam-free) you'll have access to our large vermiculite databases, our seed exchange spreadsheets, Mel's Mix calculator, and many more members' pictures in the Gallery. Enjoy.